Into a Pumpkin Again
by Kaudrey
Summary: It seems Kaoru's fairytale is getting closer and closer to the end. He doesn't want to turn the final page, but it looks like he might not have any other choice. (Contains HaruhixHikaru).
1. Prologue

**I do not own Ouran High School Host Club or any of the characters.**

* * *

Graduation. For most, it is a time that they looked forward to. The most anticipated moment of High School- the moment when it was over. Finally, they'd get to be adults. Make your own choices in life. Live on your own. Some would attend University or College. Some would travel the world. Some would get jobs right away. Some would never leave their parent's basement. Either way, it is often a greatly anticipated time. It was one thing that all students had in common- their excitement for graduation and going into the real world.

All, it seemed, except for Kaoru Hitatchiin.

Most people wouldn't expect that from the orange-haired, more level-headed twin. People always assumed that he was the one most eager to get out there. To live life to the fullest, as they say in the movies. But that wasn't the case at all. Truth was, he was terrifed of the future. Of the unknown. Of living his own life.

That's just it, isn't it? _Living his own life._ Never, not once in his life has Kaoru Hitatchiin ever been alone. He's never had to live his own life. Because always, always there was Hikaru by his side. From birth. But now? Graduation was just two weeks away. _Two weeks_! No- correction. Thirteen days until graduation. And then what? What would happen then?

Kaoru groaned and ran his hand through his hair. Beside him, Hikaru turned so he was now facing him on the bed, and looked at his brother in the darkness with furrowed eyebrows.

"Kaoru, I thought you were asleep. What are you still doing awake?"

"I could as you the same question," he commented, mainly to avoid answering.

"I've been thinking." His brother said slowly, turning so he was now facing the ceiling. He put his hands behind his head. "I think I'm going to propose to Haruhi after Graduation."

And that simple sentence made Kaoru's world shatter.

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**Yeah, short, I know. I'll try to make the rest of the chapters longer. I'm not exactly sure yet how long this story will be. What do you think so far?**


	2. Chapter One

_"Please."_

_"Please, Hikaru. Please help me."_

_Kaoru was on his knees on his brother's doorstep. His clothes were shabby and torn, and his face smeared with dirt. Hikaru stood in the doorway. He, on the other hand, looked immaculate. He looked like he should be a prince._

_"You did this to yourself, Kaoru." Was his response, as he sneered down at him._

_"I know, I know but please! Don't you even have a little bit of change that I can borrow?"_

_"We gave you money last week. What happened to that, hmm?"_

_"I spent it. I spent it on food."_

_"Oh, please."_

_"It's the truth! I swear on my life."_

_"Hikaru, darling. Who is at the door?" Now Haruhi was beside his brother. She looked absolutely magnificent. Her dark hair had grown out so it now fell down to her waist, and she wore a beautiful red dress that was topped with a ring on her left hand that had a diamond the size of a fist on it. But she had a look of disgust on her otherwise beautiful face. "Oh. It's you. Hikaru, why are you wasting your time?"_

_"The idiot showed up on our doorstep, sweetie. I was just telling him to leave."_

_"The poor guy." Haruhi clicked her tongue, speaking as if he wasn't there. "I really used to think that he had a future. Now look at him- can't even live on his own! How pathetic."_

_"Please, Haruhi. All I need is a bit of money so I can buy some food. Then I promise I won't ever come back."_

_"That's what you said last week. And the week before that. And the week before that. Let him starve on the streets, I say." Haruhi said, facing her husband. He nodded in agreement._

_"Go away, Kaoru. We aren't helping you anymore."_

_"No. No, you don't mean that. Please, brother-"_

_"I'm not your brother, Kaoru."_

* * *

"Hikaru!"

Kaoru shot up, breathing a bit heavily. It took him a moment to realize that he wasn't outside the Hitatchiin Estate anymore, but rather in a classroom. He looked down- he wasn't dressed in rags anymore, either. He touched his face, then checked his hand. No, no dirt. Had it all been a dream? It had seemed so real. He looked up again, only to realize that everyone was staring at him. He felt his face go warm.

Another glance around the room, and he caught Hikaru's eye. Then Haruhi's. Both had concern obvious on their faces. Then, just to make sure, his eyes traveled to Haruhi's left hand. Good. No ring. He looked back up. _Are you alright? _Hikaru mouthed at him. Kaoru only gave a nod as a response, and turned his attention to the teacher. One by one everyone else did also, aside from two pairs of eyes that kept glancing worryingly at Kaoru. He could feel their eyes burning into him, but he forced himself not to look.

Finally, class was dismissed. Everyone stood up, but Kaoru remained sitting for a moment. He was still replaying the dream in his head. _I'm not your brother, Kaoru. _It was those words that stuck with him the most. The words that stung the most, even if it was just a dream. They floated around in his head. Mocking him.

"Earth to Kaoru!" Fingers were snapped in front of his face, and he blinked. Hikaru and Haruhi were now staning in front of him, and everyone else had left already. His brother's arm was wrapped around Haruhi's shoulders. Last year, they'd had to keep their relationship a secret from anyone who wasn't a member of the Host Club, for obvious reasons. But then Tamaki and Kyoya had graduated, and with everyone but the three of them gone they felt no need to continue it. So they'd revealed that Haruhi was actually a girl, and that was the end of that. Some girls had been furious. Some girls were heartbroken. Either way, the secret was out now, which meant there was no reason to hide their relationship any longer.

"Are you alright Kaoru? You seem out of it." Haruhi said, her voice laced with concern.

"I'm fine," he lied, standing up and gathering his books. He couldn't look them in the eye.

"Are you s-" Hikaru began, but he cut across him.

"Yes, Hikaru. I'm fine." He shoved the books into his bag. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get to my next class." He left before they could say anything else.

* * *

Hikaru watched as Kaoru left the classroom, leaving himself and Haruhi alone.

"Is it just me, or has Kaoru been acting strange lately?" Haruhi asked, looking towards her boyfriend. Hikaru narrowed his eyes in thought. Kaoru's cry rang in his ears. _Hikaru! _It had sounded desperate. Pleading. Hikaru wondered what his brother had been dreaming about. What his brother wasn't telling him.

"It's not just you. He's been acting strange all year." He said slowly, sitting on one of the desks. Haruhi sat on the desk opposite. They weren't in any rush to be anywhere. That had been the last period of the day, which made Hikaru frown a bit.

"Has he been getting sleep at night?" She asked. "He never used to fall asleep in class before."

Hikaru thought back to the previous night. He himself had stayed awake because he had been thinking about... well... he glanced at Haruhi. But then he'd heard a groan and he felt Kaoru move beside him, and he knew that he wasn't the only one awake. When he asked Kaoru why he was still awake, he'd avoided the answer. And Kaoru _was_ constantly tired during the day now. How many nights did he spend lying awake? "No. No I don't think he has." Said Hikaru.

This caused the look on Haruhi's face to grow more concerned. "I wonder what's bothering him so much that he isn't able to sleep at night?"

"I woner why he isn't telling us." That bit was what bothered Hikaru the most. They always told each other everything. Everything embarrassing. Everything sad. Everything that made them angry. _Everything. _So why wasn't he telling him this? Did his brother not trust him anymore?

"I'm sure he trusts you fine," Haruhi said, as if she'd read his thoughts. She seemed to have a knack for that, Hikaru noticed. Which was one of the reasons he loved her. "Knowing Kaoru, he probably just doesn't want to worry us with whatever he's dealing with right now."

"You're probably right, I just wish he'd tell me." Hikaru muttered. "What could be bothering him so much that he doesn't want to tell us about it?" Really, _us _was supposed to mean _me _in that sentance.

"I don't know, but we can't push him to tell us. When you boys have your heart set on not saying or doing something, you won't say or do it no matter what. We'll just have to let Kaoru tell us himself."

Hikaru sighed, but knew that she was right. "You're right." He said. Haruhi nodded.

"'Course I am." She hopped off the desk. "Anyway, I've got to get going. I have some laundry to do. I'll call you later, okay?"

Hikaru nodded, and got off his own desk. He gave her a light kiss. Haruhi smiled. "Oh, and please don't try and worry about Kaoru too much. I don't want two insomniacs that I have to deal with." She said, walking towards the door. Though she said it in a teasing tone, he knew that she competley meant it.

"I'll try." He muttered. She looked at him, her face obviously said that she didn't believe him.

"Promise me."

He rolled his eyes a bit. "I promise, Haruhi." She gave a small nod.

"Good. I love you."

He smiled. "I love you, too." And then he watched as she left. It wasn't until a few moments later that he left as well, and while he knew that he'd promised not to worry, Kaoru was already on his mind.

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**Aaand Chapter One is up! I'm fairly happy with this one. Anyway, as always let me know what you think in the reviews!**


	3. Chapter Two

The next day, things didn't get any better.

No, that should be rephrased.

The next day, things only got a whole lot worse.

Firstly, there were only twelve days left until Graduation. Which meant twelve days until the real world. Secondly, Hikaru had thought it would be a good idea to drag him to a ring shop. Apparently, he really did have his mind set on this whole proposing thing. Hikaru had dragged him halfway across town to go to a shop- apparently, this shop was the best, according to Hikaru. Kaoru didn't know how he came to that conclusion, but he wasn't exactly in the mood to ask. So now he was standing in a ring shop, looking at a display case of rings that all looked identical to each other.

"Kaoru, what about this one?" Hikaru's voice came from the other side of the small shop. Kaoru moved so that he could see what ring his brother was pointing at, but stopped almost automatically when he caught a glimpse. It was the ring from his dream. Almost an exact replica.

"Not that one," he said hastily.

"Why not?"

"Haruhi is a simple girl. While I'm sure she'd appreciate it, don't you think she'd like a smaller ring much more?" Kaoru pointed to a shelf that contained rings with much smaller diamonds. Hikaru glanced from the ring he was looking at, to Kaoru, and then to the shelf Kaoru was pointing at. Then he gave a nod.

"I guess you're right." And he walked to the shelf that he was pointing at. Kaoru breathed a sigh of relief. At least that was one thing from his dream that wouldn't come true.

_I'm not your brother, Kaoru._

No. No, that wouldn't come true either. That _couldn't _come true. He wouldn't allow it.

"Are you okay, Kaoru?" Hikaru asked, knocking him out of his thoughts. "Looked like you spaced out for a minute there."

Kaoru blinked at him. "I'm fine," he lied. _Well, at least he's still concerned about me._

Hikaru sighed and turned away from the rings. "What aren't you telling me?"

_Everything._

"Nothing."

Hikaru raised an eyebrow, glanced at the shopkeeper -who seemed to be watching them very closely- and then grabbed his shoulder and led him outside. "Alright, what is it?"

"Hikaru, I'm okay. There isn't anything I'm not telling you."

"I'm not an idiot-"

"That's debatable."

"-I know when something is bothering you. Even Haruhi thinks something is up. Come on, why aren't you telling me?" Kaoru could tell that Hikaru was obviously upset about the fact that he wasn't telling him. But he couldn't tell him. Because even he knew that it was a stupid thing to be worried about. And it would sound idiotic out loud, he knew that. Childish. So, he kept it to himself.

"Because there isn't anything to tell."

And that, apparently, was when Hikaru snapped.

"Alright, don't tell me. But don't bother telling me anything else, either. You can find your own way home." And with that, he watched as his brother stormed into the ring shop, leaving Kaoru alone.

"Don't you think that's a bit immature?" He called to him, though the door was already closed.

But inside Kaoru felt like exploding, because in his mind he might as well have just said what he'd been fearing. And he couldn't blame him either, because if it were the other way around, he probably would have done the same thing. And while the words still stung, and Kaoru desperatley wanted to go inside and apologize, he didn't. He knew it was better to let him cool down first. So instead he let out a bit of a sigh, and turned the other way to walk home.

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**Gah. Still so short. I keep feeling like I'm writing them out of character. Blech.**


	4. Chapter Three

Nine days.

Hikaru still wasn't speaking to Kaoru.

Which also meant that Kaoru wasn't speaking to Hikaru.

Which worried Haruhi to no end. Because she knew that this time, they weren't faking it. They actually weren't talking to each other. Never, for as long as she knew them, had they ever fought. At least not seriously. Worst of all, she didn't know how to get them to make up.

Hikaru she could understand. While it didn't happen as often as it used to, he still sometimes loses control of his emotions. Especially when it came to people that he cares about. So when Kaoru wouldn't tell him what was going on, Kaoru, who was the one person in the world that he completely and absolutely loved (even more then herself. She could admit that, it didn't bother her.), she could understand why he'd snapped. But Kaoru? It was Kaoru that she was worried about the most here. Because something was clearly wrong with him, and it must be bad if he didn't even want to tell Hikaru about it. And Kaoru was just as stubborn as Hikaru, which meant if Hikaru wasn't talking to him, there was no way in Hell that he was going to be talking to Hikaru. And Kaoru didn't have any other friends, so that meant right now the younger twin was completely alone. And that worried Haruhi, because no one should have to deal with something alone.

She of all people knew that.

Which was why she was currently standing outside of the abandoned music room 3. He hadn't been at the Hitatchiin Estate- she knew, because she had just been there herself with Hikaru. He obviously wasn't at her house- it seemed if they weren't at home, typically the brothers would be at her house. But no, she'd even gone home to make sure. Which left one room that Haruhi could think that he would be in. A room that even she went to sometimes when she needed to think, or be alone. Music Room 3. Slowly, she opened the door.

"Kaoru?" She called into the room as she stepped in. She heard some shuffling from one of the couches, and then she saw an orange-haired head pop up.

"What do you want?" He asked. It wasn't the usual happy-go-lucky Kaoru that she knew, but his voice sounded more... monotone. It almost scared her. She walked over to the couch. She moved his legs so that she had room to sit. Now that she was closer, she could see how tired he really looked. He had bags under his eyes, and clearly he was stressed about something.

"Don't you think this is getting a bit ridiculous?" She asked.

"Tell that to Hikaru, why don't you?" Kaoru huffed.

"I have. He's just worried about you, Kaoru. We _both _are." She watched as Kaoru sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"I know," was his response. It came out in sort of a mutter.

"Then why don't you tell us what's bothering you?" She asked, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You know you can tell us anything. That you can tell _Hikaru _anything."

"I can't." He muttered with a bit of a sigh. "I can't... tell him this."

"Why not?"

Kaoru let out a bit of a humorless laugh and shook his head. "'Cause it's stupid. Petty. Childish. There isn't any reason to concern him with it."

"Clearly it isn't, if it is stressing you out so much. I've never seen you like this before, Kaoru." Haruhi commented, furrowing her eyebrows. She looked at him for a moment, then sighed. "Well, if you're not going to tell Hikaru about it then at least tell me."

Kaoru was silent for a moment, apparently considering it. "You're just going to tell Hikaru."

"No I'm not, I promise."

"I'm scared." He finally said, in a quiet mutter.

Haruhi blinked at him. "Of what?"

"Never mind, like I said- it's stupid."

"_No, _Kaoru. What are you afraid of? Look, if anyone knows a thing or two about childish fears, it's me. You can tell me." Haruhi said, looking at him in the eyes.

Kaoru sighed. "Of graduation. Of the spell breaking."

"Graduation? The spell?" Haruhi didn't understand what he meant by that. Why was he afraid of Graduating? And what spell? Before she knew it, Kaoru stood up.

"And the spell that keeps everything perfect until midnight. Er- Graduation." ...Was he talking about Cinderella? His voice was rising as he continued. "Oh, never mind about the spell. The point is, after graduation everything is going to change. It won't be like High School anymore. We'll be out in the real world, doing real jobs. You'll be a lawyer. Hikaru will be at your side, doing whatever it is he's going to be doing. And what about me? It won't be 'Me and Hikaru' anymore. It'll just be 'me', won't it? Left on my own. You and Hikaru will be too busy. The other's- they'll be doing their own thing, too. Too busy to talk to me. I'm the only one that doesn't have a set future here! I don't know _how _to live on my own, by myself. I've never had to learn how! Hikaru has always been right there at my side. And after graduation, and after he pr- er- does a thing- he won't have any need for me in his life." Kaoru seemed to have finally calmed down, it sounded like he'd had that on his chest for a long time. Haruhi watched as Kaoru slowly sank into the couch again, placing his head in his hands. "What about me?" He concluded in a mutter to his hands.

Haruhi stared at him a long while before talking. "_That's _what's been stressing you out so much? Kaoru, look at me." She said, placing her hands on his shoulders, turning him so that he was forced to look at her. Slowly, he raised his head from his hands. "I don't know what you're going to do after graduation, but I can guarantee you that Hikaru is going to be at your side while you do it. He _loves _you Kaoru, and that isn't going to change just because we aren't in high school anymore."

"But he's going to be with you and-"

"So? I'm just his girlfriend, I don't think that's going to be changing anytime soon. It's not like I'm going to be keeping him away from you." There was a look on his face that she couldn't quite read when she mentioned being his girlfriend, but she didn't comment on it.

"You're- you're probably right." He finally muttered, but Haruhi thought she detected a tone of voice that suggested he wasn't quite convinced yet.

"I _am _right, Kaoru. You and Hikaru have a kind of bond that isn't going to be broken over graduating or a girlfriend. If he has to choose between you or me, he's always going to choose you in the end."

"That's not-"

"It's the truth, I knew that from the start. I'm okay with that." She looked at him in the eyes. "Kaoru, you don't have _anything_ to be afraid of."

He was silent for a moment, and then sighed. "You're right. Like I said, it was stupid."

She shook her head. "No fear is stupid, Kaoru. It's natural to worry about things that we don't know."

He gave a small smile. "Thanks, Haruhi."

She smiled back and stood up. "You're welcome, Kaoru. Come on, let's go an see if we can get Hikaru to start talking to you again."

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**This is all I had planned up to, so the next few updates may be a bit slower as I try to work things out. But the story definitely isn't over yet.**


End file.
